Thursday, June 23, 2011

Senior Cruisin'






We told the kids that we'd take them two at a time when the oldest one graduates on a fun trip! So this was the first of 3 fun trips with two of our kids at a time! We went on a Southern Caribbean cruise with them and some our really good friends, the Obrays, and their two cute big kids! We had a GREAT time!!!!
The party never stops on a cruise ship, and our kids got WAY into it doing the Electric slide, Wobble, the Macarana and numerous other dances. They had fun meeting new people, eating LOTS of yummy food (warm chocolate melting cake anyone?) and staying up late hanging with the funny cruise directors! (YEAH baby!)
One of my favorite things on the cruise are these cute little towel creatures left in our room each night with little mints......I think they're downright adorable!
One of two formal nights.....all dressed up in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean!
On St Marteen we went on a "jeep" ride.....we were all excited thinking we'd be four wheelin' in the mountains. Well.....we pretty much stayed on a paved road and listened to a guy on a walkee talkee talk about casinos, the international airport and hotels. It was less than exciting...well until the 737 jet flew over us and about scared us all to death! It was a really beautiful island though, and we enjoyed seeing it!
The beach and water in all the islands was so beautiful and clear blue.
Hard to tell but all our initials in our family are etched in sand right under us here. We were thinking of all our kids and missed the four at home!

In St Kitts we took a Catamaran out to some fun snorkeling and a beautiful beach. Jenica also got attacked by tiny diaper wearing monkeys, whose owner wanted $10 for this picture....they want money for everything in these places, too bad we didn't have our wallets!!!!!!
In St Lucia we went zip lining in a rain forest! We had the most awesome guide named Kennedy. He talked non-stop for 4 hours about tv shows, singing songs, his family and eating habits, and told us lots about the rainforest and all its cool secrets. It was really really fun and the kids and us had so much fun zipping through the trees! (Don't know why I can't get this pic turned around, sorry you have to look at it side ways!)
On Barbados the kids had fun on "Great Big Mable" they were afraid the driver might kill them when they got going really fast, but it ended up way fun!
The boys lounging by the pool on the "Fun at sea day"
A really fun part of the cruise is the EATING, of course! And each night after dinner the wait staff does a dance around the dining room, the girls got up and danced and sang "My Girl" one of the nights, it was so cute! Our waiters Paul, and two we couldn't pronounce their names, were so cute and fun!
Our home away from home for a week!
In St Thomas we went Kayaking, hiking and snorkeling! We saw cool fish, sea urchins and pelicans. We also learned about poisonous flesh eating, blinding, killing plants that look really pretty and taste good. Not sure who documented that, since they should be blind and dead, but whatever! We also had a little hermit crab race on this island, it is full of them! It was lots of fun!
In San Juan we got poured on while we visited the forts (and saw where Pirates was filmed!) and went shopping but we had a great time!
What a great opportunity to see the beautiful Islands of the Caribbean! It was so fun, but the best part of all was to spend time with our cute oldest kids, who were so fun, so happy and really great company! We had a super great time with them and the Obrays, we love them and their kids! We will always have such fabulous memories of this trip! As our boys said many many times during this trip, (quoting Saturday night live....) "It's a beautiful thing though....yes, it's a beautiful thing!!!!!"